Author: Laurie Ann Thompson Illustrator: Sean Qualls From the Book Jacket:Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people—but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams. As a boy, Emmanuel hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age thirteen to provide for his family, and, eventually, became a cyclist. He rode an astonishing four hundred miles across Ghana in 2001, spreading his powerful message: disability is not inability. Today, Emmanuel continues to work on behalf of the disabled. Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is the story of a young man who was once thought of as cursed and became a national hero. It is an awesome and inspiring story and I'm using all of the videos below as part of my lesson to students. Love this new find! See the Movie Trailer Here: Emmanuel Ofoso Yeboah ESPY Awards Presented by Oprah Winfrey: An Update on Emmanuel Ofoso Yeboah - Super Soul Sunday: A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Useful: You Can Buy/Rent the Movie Here:
Author: Kobi Yamada Illustrator: Mae Besom From the Book Jacket: What do you do with a chance? Especially one that seems too big or too wild or just out of reach? Do you hold back? Do you act like you don't care? Do you let it slip away? This is the story of some remarkable chances and the child who doesn't know quite what to do with them. But the more chances come around, the more the child's fascination grows. And then, one day, a little courage makes all the difference in the world. This is a story for anyone, at any age, who has ever wanted something, but was afraid of risking too much to get it. It's a story to inspire you to embrace the chances that come into your life. Because you never know when a chance, once taken, might be the one to change everything. Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is my favorite book out of this whole series. You can find so many different meanings in these books! My takeaway from this one was to be a seeker. To seek opportunities, adventures, experiences, and doors to new beginnings. When you try to make positive changes in your life it can also feel scary and cause you to be afraid. But you have to try and take the chance. When we hold back, we miss out. Brilliant! A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:
Author: Pat Miller Illustrator: Kathi Ember From the Book Jacket: It's New Year's Day, a great day for making resolutions! But what's a resolution, anyway? Squirrel doesn't know, so she sets out to learn all about them. As she makes visits through the forest, her friends tell her about their resolutions, and she even helps them get started. If only Squirrel could think of a resolution of her very own... Why It's On My Bookshelf: Such a great book to teach kids about goal setting! As Squirrel tries to come up with her own New Year's Resolution she figures out she actually has had one all along - helping someone every day. This would be a great book to read after New Year's but I also see it's potential to teach goal setting and making positive changes in one's life. You can do that any day of the year. Great book! A Link to This Book:
